The present invention comprises a new Lobelia, botanically known as Lobelia erinus, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘Tec Hewhitt.’
‘Tec Hewhitt’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar has large pure white flowers, medium green foliage, vigorous and well branched habit, and early flowering.
‘Tec Hewhitt’ originated from a hybridization made in July 2006 in a controlled breeding environment in Andijk, Netherlands. The seed was sown in September 2006. The female parent was the unpatented, proprietary plant designated ‘LOB03-116-1,’ with smaller white flowers, lighter foliage and shorter stems.
The male parent of ‘Tec Hewhitt’ was an unpatented, proprietary plant designated as ‘LOB02-21-1’ with white flowers. ‘LOB02-21-1’ has smaller foliage, longer internodes, thinker stems, and a less trailing habit than ‘Tec Hewhitt.’
‘Tec Hewhitt’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in the January 2007 in a controlled environment in Andijk, Netherlands.
The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘Tec Hewhitt’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in January 2007 in a controlled environment in Andijk, Netherlands.